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How has Google Mini/Alexa improved your life?

Google Mini, Alexa...do you use one of these voice-activated home automation units and have a SCI ? What do you use it for? Please share! I am working on an article on this topic and would love to hear any first-hand experiences 👍😀 Thanks!

If I had to rely on her because of my disability I would go insane. She doesn't always turn the lights or tv on when you ask which can be frustrating AF, but she's a great music player when linked to a Spotify pro account, great for telling me how cold it is outside and great at laughing creepily at 3am!

I have an Echo ( Alexa) back in my bedroom. Very easy to set up if you have decent wifi and download the app on your Tablet or phone. I've had Alexa the longest, about 2 years and got it for a very good sale price. I usually get news and podcasts. On my iPad I have , "Pandora' and also 'Tunein radio' apps so I have dessignated them for music, NPR and pretty much telling Echo whatever station i want . I have several NPR stations I listen to, Boston, San Fransisco, etc, there are some programs I like and can catch in different time zones so it fits my schedule, I will just say the station and play through "tune in". Similarly with Music I usually use Pandora and just request from stations which I also have on Mac and iPad. There are a multitude of of music / radio stations you can connect , Spotify , Sirrixm, etc. Also Kindle books read aloud and Audible.com, I haven't subscribed to Audible. One thing I haven't been able to do is connect with iTunes library, that would be nice. I haven't looked into trying recently, but have assumed it is just a competition issue.

I use quite a bit in the morning for an alarm, weather, news briefs, to do lists, grocery, reminders. That's some of what I use it for. There are however a lot more capabilities. I have not found a need and / or have been too cheap to purchase any smart home features. IF I was laid up for any reason I might consider some smart home features.

One thing I did accessorize fo Amazon Echo is remote. I find the range to be pretty amazing. i can be any where in the house and add to lists, control, on, off etc. Before getting remote if volume was up to 6 or 7 and I was some distance away had to yell out to get over the sound and hear my command. The remote is well worth the extra $29 expense ,imho. In an apartment it might not be neccessary but I find it very useful in the house.

For Christmas my sister got all of sibs google. I like it. The speaker quality is a bit tinnier that Echo. "Hey Google" almost seems a little smarter than Alexa. I have electronics in the front of my house so it's not a primary music / radio source. Easy to set up, again with downloaded app. Since I've only had about three months I can't really give it a fair comparison to Echo but it's handy. I'll ask weather , podcasts but again have not found a need for any 'Smart home features".

That's all I can think of at this time. I will probably use the Google more as time goes on. i have played around using it for phone calls and it works well. I am happy with both Amazon Alexa and Google.

Been a long day and I am rambling but these are a few things that come to mind for each... one was a gift as mentioned and the other a purchase, both helpful and no buyers remorse at all.

My daughter (C5) just started using an Echo (Alexa). She is using it more than she thought she would. It is in her bedroom so she uses it for music, weather/time and random questions. I like it for her for a couple reasons....because it is always plugged in (no charging) and provides redundancy backup for emergency calls should she need help (after dropping her phone or phone is dead) from bed. (She cannot independently transfer.)

She is away at college right now. When she comes home for the summer I think we'll try some home automation stuff too.